December 17, 2012
 Northwestern Oklahoma State University Art Society members receive a banner from the Office of Service Learning and Civic Engagement (SLICE) for earning the perSERVEring Ranger Award. This banner will be hung during NAS activities. Accepting the award are (from left) Angelia Case, sponsor; Valarie Case, university relations specialist, Shawna Gilbert, Enid senior; Micheela Sterling, Alva freshman; RaLyssa Taylor, Alva freshman; Andrea McDow, Alva senior; Megan Waters, Cordell sophomore; and Thomas McDow, campus police officer and recent graduate. |
‘Tis the season to do something nice for others and give to those in need. Giving back is what the members of the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Art Society (NAS) do year round, and because of the group’s service learning efforts in the 2011-2012 school year, they have been given the perSERVEring Ranger Award by the Office of Service Learning and Civic Engagement (SLICE).
The perSERVEring Ranger Award is designed to recognize an outstanding club or organization serving within the Northwestern communities and campuses.
“For me it is just a good feeling to know that we serve the community of Alva in so many ways,” said Shawna Gilbert, Enid senior and NAS president.
SLICE looks for an organization that demonstrates the following honorable characteristics appropriate for recognition in a service learning or civic engagement project/event:
• A dedication to service and a sense of responsibility to the Northwestern service learning and civic engagement vision;
• Serving as a community service model for other clubs and organizations;
• Exceptional leadership and organizational skills;
• Consistent work ethic and availability.
“The NWOSU Art Society received ‘The perSERVEring Ranger Award’ for their consistent dedication to a wide variety of service projects within the Northwestern communities,” said Ashton Ghaemi, service learning coordinator.
Making handmade Christmas cards for Share Convalescent Home, Beadles Nursing Home, Homestead Retirement Center and the Waynoka Nursing Home; providing the community with a Holiday Store to benefit area kids and the annual Art Show are just a few things NAS works on throughout the year to give back.
Other activities NAS members did to give back to the community during the 2011-2012 school year and summer include:
• Provided handmade Christmas ornaments to benefit Northwest Family Services;
• Made Valentine cards with Homestead residents;
• Helped decorate Northwestern graduate Dana Miller’s junior recital;
• Volunteered for the Big Event;
• Made calls and thank you notes for the Northwestern Foundation Thank-A-Thon;
• Helped clean up during the Campus Cleanup;
• Assisted with Summer Art Camp at the Graceful Arts Center;
• Held a Bake Sale for Bradley Gilbert, 2007 graduate;
• Held a Bucks for Bradley rummage sale;
• Goodie Giveaways during Ranger basketball games.
“I feel for the group it just will inspire us to keep doing what we are doing to help give back to the community of Alva,” Gilbert said.
Many hours were spent preparing for each event. Students spent 408.5 hours working on various NAS projects. Faculty and staff spent 294 hours of their time supporting this group and its causes.
NAS sponsor Angelia Case, media and archives assistant, said they do a lot of fundraising with the main goal of funding the art show and to showcase the creativity of the Northwestern community. They also use the funds that they make to support some of their community service.
“People are so good to us with our fundraising that we want to give back,” Case said.
“Because our group is so small, people in the group become very close. I’ve heard many, many times about how this group has become a little family. And that’s true – people genuinely care for each other.”
Learning more and following the artistic avenue is important for the group. Each year they try to make a trip, to an art museum within driving distance, for example. They’ve also made local trips to Murrow’s FrameArt to learn about framing and to Waynoka to see how screen printing is done.
For the past two years, NAS has placed first in the sheet decoration contest during Homecoming week at Northwestern. They even made a float this year for the parade and won the President’s Prize.
“To me, I am thankful that recognition is given to the students in the group who work so hard,” Case said.
“It’s not easy keeping up with classes, work and the Art Society. We work hard in this group, but we also have a lot of fun working together.”
Case also explained that this group really enjoys the community service aspect, and they know that the people in this community really do care about them, their education and their experience at Northwestern.
“They give so much to us and we are certainly very happy to give back to them,” Case said.
“We are small, but mighty” and “people are good” are common phrases used by NAS members. This small group made up of good people have provided many services to the Northwestern community and are definitely deserving of the perSERVEring Ranger award.
New members are always welcome to join, so if anyone wants to learn more about NAS please visit www.nwosu.edu/art or contact Case at (580) 327-8577 or arcase@nwosu.edu.
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